July 17, 2009

Lateisha Green’s Killer Convicted of Hate Crime

Yes, it is an unusual decision — and a welcome one: This is only the second time in the U.S. anyone has been convicted of a hate crime in the killing of a transgender person.

That transgender murders are almost never recognized as hate crimes (when they almost always are) is shameful — and only further proof of the need for a fully-inclusive ENDA.

Still, we’re glad this jury, at least, recognized the murder of Lateisha Green for exactly what it was: a hate crime — even though Dwight DeLee was only convicted of mere manslaughter.

Explains Feministe: “it seems that the jury concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that DeLee acted with intent to cause serious bodily harm as a result of his perception regarding Teish’s sexual orientation, but not that he had intent to kill as a result of the perception.”

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July 7, 2009

Hey, Jacksons: Somebody Should Be Suing Peter King

So, the Alaskan Talibunny wants to sue Shannyn Moore for proffering speculation (which Moore has always presented as rumors, which Palin’s lawyer says Moore presented as fact), while nobody is suing Pete King (R-NY-3), who is claiming as fact that Michael Jackson molested children.

Never mind whether the King of Pop ever did or not; the fact is that he was never convicted of any such crime. (Actually, I’m beginning to believe the molestation accusations were simple extortion. Call me naive, but not until you’ve read this and this. There’s no denying the guy was a freak — but I’m not so sure anymore he was a pedophile, at least in the modern sense of the word.)

Simply put, you can’t run around claiming somebody’s a child molester, or a killer, or anything else without proof, no matter how much you believe it.

Why is this such a big deal to me? Because I’m extremely careful to fact-check, always, but particularly when I’m working on Conservative Babylon. Even if I know Mr. X did indeed rape 25 women, but was only convicted for 24, I cannot and will not say he raped 25. You just don’t do it. Unless you’re stupid or reckless.

Which brings us to Pete King’s rant, which he quickly turned from complaining about too much media coverage of Michael Jackson to a wholesale attack on Jackson himself. He began his rant on YouTube, and continued it in an interview with WCBS-TV:

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July 3, 2009

The Headline That Made Me Want to Scream: “Check for a Knife, Kirsten!”

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June 28, 2009

Ruben Diaz Unhinged, Unglued, Unintelligible

“Juan Manuel Benitez, doesn’t shy away from challenging Diaz on his views simply because he calls himself a preacher and, as Benitez keeps pressing, you see Diaz begin to lose it. At one point, as his own arguments are used to refute his positions, Diaz stops answering, and simply keeps repeating ‘I am a Pastor. I am a preacher. I am a believer in Jesus Christ, our redeemer and savior’…”

I’d say “Un-freaking-believable,” except that nothing this frothing homophobe says or does surprises me.

Blabbeando (if you don’t read Blabbeando already, you should start; it’s the only blog out there tracking LGBT developments in the Spanish-speaking world, and provides tons of news, and translations, for those of us forced to take French [”the international language” — ha!] for eight years instead of something useful, i.e., Spanish) has the video, painstakingly translated and captioned, the full story, and the must-read-to-believe transcript:

Related:

New York Senate Democrats: Backstabbing Cowards, November 30, 2008

What’s Ruben Diaz’ Real Problem? His Gay Brothers?, June 26, 2009

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June 26, 2009

What’s Ruben Diaz’ Real Problem? His Gay Brothers?

What’s the matter, Mr. Diaz? Afraid you were going to turn out gay yourself?

Hey, it’s just a question, not an accusation — and a valid question, we think, since we don’t buy the baloney that recognizing full equality for the least of your brothers would “imperil your soul.”

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June 24, 2009

New York Senate Adjourns; No Marriage Vote

That’s all we know for now. Details to come.

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May 23, 2009

ACTION: Day of Decision Events by City (Nationwide & Canada)

Long list, via email (many thanks, you-know-who-you-are!), massaged for organization & clarity, with live links added:

ARIZONA

Phoenix, Arizona: Gather at 6pm at the southwest corner of Camelback at 7th Avenue for a rally and then march. For more information, contact John Allard at arizona@marriageequality.org

CALIFORNIA

Auburn, California: Gather at 5:30pm at the Placer County Courthouse (101 Maple Street). For more information, contact ca-placer@marriageequality.org

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May 19, 2009

Gee, Rev. William Gillison, Sorry My Humanity “Insults” You

I’m not going to comment on this story, because I don’t want to get dragged into the race war — but I will say that the Buffalo News could have made the headline a wee bit clearer, in order to deflect accusations that the paper is saying all black clergy are as rabidly homophobic as William Gillison, Michael A. Badger, and Jeffery Bowens:

Actually, I do have one comment: I think getting all territorial over civil rights is just a cover for the real problem with these preachers, black, white or otherwise: They just hate queers.

Of course, you can’t say you hate anybody when you’re a Christian, so you’ve got to find some excuse to mask your raging bigotry.

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May 18, 2009

Right-Wing Strongholds = Erectile Dysfunction (While Liberal Cities Can Get It Up On Their Own Just Fine, Thanks)

The short explanation is that the results are a combination of unhealthy lifestyle habits, plus the amount of ED drugs (like Viagra and Cialis) consumed by men in each city. One Oklahoma urologist explains it away with, “A lot of it can be linked to the Southern diet” — which doesn’t explain away Bakersfield and Modesto (two of the most right-wing, gay-hatin’-est regions in California), or Anchorage, or Omaha:

Top 10 cities for erectile dysfunction:

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May 12, 2009

New York State Assembly OKs Marriage Equality!

It’s only the first step — but it’s a big, big step:

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April 29, 2009

New Hampshire State Senate Votes in Favor of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the New Hampshire state Senate’s vote today in favor of legislation that would permit same-sex couples to marry. The Senate voted 13-11, on second reading, in favor of an amended version of House Bill 436, which would allow same-sex couples to marry under state law. The bill passed the House last month by a 186-179 vote. Since the Senate voted on an amended version, the bill will return to the House after third reading in the Senate.

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April 20, 2009

Give Up the Ghost, Rudy, Put Your Dress On, and Go Back to Camping for the Camera

Who does former mayor of New York, narcissist, adulterer, and bad Catholic (and criminally unfashionable cross-dresser who let Donald Trump nuzzle his falsies) think he’s fooling?

Rudy Rips Gov’s Bid for Gay Nups

RUDY GIULIANI is declaring war on gay marriage — vowing to use his strong opposition of it against the Democrats if he runs for governor next year.

BUT HIS GUY PALS PLAN TO WED …

Giuliani, who is slated to address a Republican fund-raising gala in Albany tonight in what is widely described as further proof of his interest in running for governor, said he’s committed to the traditional definition of marriage.

“Marriage, I believe, both traditionally and legally, has always been between a man and a woman and should remain between a man and woman,” said Giuliani, who has been married three times. …

And, as I recall, when between wives, Ghouliani once availed himself of the spare bedroom of a gay couple.

Rudy, just give it up. You were a laughingstock as a mayor (only the horrible coincidence of 9/11 came along to salvage your legacy), and now you’re just a failed presidential candidate outing yourself as the say-anything opportunist you’ve always been. And to play games with the lives of real people for perceived political gain is beyond disgusting.

It’s mamalukes like you who make me ashamed of my Italian-American heritage.

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January 27, 2009

Another Year in Hate.

According to the FBI, there were officially 9,535 victims of hate crimes in 2007. Needless to say this doesn’t count those crimes that weren’t reported as hate crimes, or those that weren’t reported at all. However the numbers are still startling. As to anti-LGBT hate crimes, which increased by nearly 100 over the previous year, FBI statistics for 2007 indicate that:

Of the 1,512 victims targeted due to a sexual-orientation bias:

* 58.9 percent were victims of an offender’s anti-male homosexual bias.
* 24.8 percent were victims of an anti-homosexual bias.
* 13.0 percent were victims of an anti-female homosexual bias.
* 1.8 percent were victims of an anti-heterosexual bias.
* 1.5 percent were victims of an anti-bisexual bias.

Who were some of those 1,512 known victims in 2007?

Anonymous gay male.

On September 9, 2007, a 19-year-old gay man and Georgetown University student was followed and attacked by three men who punched him and yelled anti-gay epithets. The student later identified one of his attackers – Phillip Cooney, another 19-year-old Georgetown student – via a Facebook profile.
…..

Friends later expressed shock and claimed Cooney was “one of the nicest and most gentle people we know at this school”. They’re always the nicest people ever until they pummel a gay person half to death.

 
Alfred Dibble .

Alfred Dibble, a gay man who often dressed as a woman, was found beaten, unconscious, and dressed in women’s clothing in downtown Stockton, AZ, on May 19, 2007. He was taken to a local hospital where he died without regaining consciousness on May 23. The Dibble family, joined by anti-violence organizations, asked that his murder be treated as a hate crime.
…..

 
Erica Keel

Erica Keel (1986 - March 21, 2007) was a 21-year-old African American transgender woman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On March 21, 2007 she was killed in what police classified as a hit-and-run accident but witnesses claimed was homicide.
…..
Witnesses and friends of Keel refute that Keel’s death was accidental. Keel was engaged in sex work at the time, and witnesses claimed to have seen Keel enter the car at Broad Street and Girard Avenue. The car then headed North one block, where witnesses say the driver ejected Keel from the car, and ran over her four times as she lay in the street. Lt. Hearn said Keel’s multiple injuries were due to landing on a parked car and hitting a fire hydrant before landing o the pavement.
…..

 
Josie Smith-Malave

On September 1, 2007, Josie Smith-Malave, 32, a former contestant on the Bravo Network’s Top Chef series, was beaten along with her sister and a gay friend, outside of Partners, a bar in Sea Cliff, NJ. Smith-Malave said that while the were beaten others laughed and took photographs of their ordeal.
…..
The incident started when Smith-Malave, her sister, and Durwood, 30, were asked to leave the bar. Reports vary on why the women were asked to leave the bar. The New York Daily News reported that the women began dancing together, and were escorted from the bar after patrons started making nasty remarks. A crowd of 10 or more patrons followed the women out of the bar and surrounded them, yelling anti-gay slurs.
…..
Smith-Malave said the crowed punched, kicked and spit on them while yelling epithets including “fucking dyke” and “bush muncher.” A witness who lives across the street from the bar and saw the attack said she also heard someone yell “I hope you die of AIDS,” during the attack.
…..
On September 13, The Village Voice reported that Matthew M. Walli – a homeless man originally from Oregon – was arrested in connection with the beating. Police said that Walli forcibly stole a video camera from one of the women, forcing her to fall and injure her knee.1 Walli, 20, was charged with second degree robbery as a hate crime, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
…..

 
Kenneth Cummings, Jr.

Kenneth Cummings Jr. (1961 - June 4, 2007) a gay man from Pearland, TX, was last seen alive on June 4, 2007. Terry Mangum, 26, was arrested and later confessed to stabbing Cummings to death after luring him from a gay bar. Mangum said he had gone out intending to target a gay man.
…..
In several jail house interviews, Mangum discussed his motive for killing Cummings. He told The Houston Chronicle that he had studied the bible for “thousands and thousands and thousands” of hours, and that God appeared to him in a dream or “visitation” during a prison stay in 2001 and commanded him to kill. After six months of planning, he went to E.J.’s, where he met Cummings. The two went back to Cummings’ home, where Mangum said he stabbed Cummings in the head with a 6” blade.

“I believe I’m Elijah, called by God to be a prophet,” he told reporters. ”…I believe with all my heard that I was doing the right thing.

Mangum said he went to a gay bar specifically for the purposes of targeting a gay man, and that Cummings “just happened to be the one that I bumped into.”

The Facts reporter John Tompkins did ask Mangum about his sexual orientation, during his jailhouse interview with Mangum, but Mangum went out of his way to tell the reporter that he was not homosexual and that he thought homosexuality was an abomination. “I asked him if killing him was like stomping on a bug,” Tompkins would later testify.”He looked at me kind of confused and I rephrased, “Like swatting a mosquito?’ “He said, ‘Yes.’”

Hence the need for federal hate-crime laws. People who target others in such a manner require stronger penalties because they endanger entire classes of people. They are a severe menace to society and must be treated as such.

 

Michael Wrenn

On August 4, 2007, Michael Wrenn, 47, and his friend Aaron Hudy were assaulted in Seattle, Washington, after Wrenn answered affirmatively when their attacker asked if they were gay. The policeman on the scene did not report the incident as a hate crime.
…..
At the scene, medics treated Wrenn for a bloody nose, cuts to his chin, and bruises to his body. He would later develop two black eyes.
…..
After the attack, Wrenn and Hudy spoke to the policeman on the scene, and explained to him that they believed the attack was a hate crime, motivated by Wrenn’s sexual orientation. The police office did not get out of his car during the interview. When Wrenn emphasized that the only reason he was attacked was his sexual orientation, the officer responded that to him that being gay “is your issue.”
…..

 
Roberto Duncanson

Roberto Duncanson (1987 - May 12, 2007) was an African American gay man from Brooklyn, New York. On May 12, 2007, he was stabbed to death by Omar Willock, who claimed Duncanson had flirted with him.
…..
On May 12, 2007, Duncanson and Omar Willock, 17, passed each other on St. Mark’s Avenue in Crown Heights. Willock reportedly became enraged, yelled “What are you looking at, f—-r?” and started shouting anti-gay slurs at Duncanson. Willock accused Williams of looking at him, in a way he interpreted as flirting. It’s unclear how Willock knew Duncanson was gay.
Duncanson walked away, and continued on his way to visit a cousin on Brooklyn Avenue. Willock allegedly followed Duncanson to his cousin’s house, and waited for him to come out. When Duncanson emerged from the house, Willock continued following him.
The Murder

As Duncanson kept walking, Willock followed and continued to yell anti-gay epithets at Duncanson. Willock then started a fist fight with Duncanson.The fight ended when Willock took out a knife and stabbed Duncanson as he tried to walk away. Paramedics found Duncanson on the sidewalk.He had been stabbed in the back four times.
…..

There you have the classic “gay panic defense”. If a straight person can claim a gay person flirted with them, or that they perceived the gay person was flirting with them, they supposedly had every right to react with utter horror up to and including vicious murder of that gay person. Funny how women can’t use a similar defense against men they aren’t interested in, or how we can’t do so when straights come on to us. (Guess what–straight sex is as icky to most gay people as gay sex is to straights.)

Satendar Singh

Satender Singh (July 21, 1980 - July 1, 2007), a gay man of Fijian descent, was attacked on July 1, 2007, while socializing with friends in Natoma Lake state park, near Sacramento, CA. Singh was punched by a man from another group in the park that had made racist and homophobic comments to Singh’s group. Singh fell backwards, hit his head, and lapsed into a coma. Singh died of his injuries four days later when his family removed him from life support.
…..
Singh was the only single member of his group, and was seen hugging and dancing with other men in his group. Another group in the park, made up of Russian immigrants was offended by Singh’s dancing with men and women in his group, and made homophobic and racist comments to Singh and his friends.4)

Bystander Wolfgang Chargin witnessed the exchanges between Singh’s group and the Russian group, and called 911 to warn that a fight was likely to occur. Chagrin witnessed the escalating conflict between the two groups as they used the picnic area, and said that the Russian group seemed especially offended by Singh’s activity. At one point, when Singh’s group went into the water, some of the men in the Russian group walked over and spat on their blankets.

Chagrin emphasized that Singh’s group was never aggressive, though they were confronted several times.5)
…..
Around 8:00 p.m., Singh’s group was leaving the area when some of th men from the Russian group confronted them. in the parking lot.6) A friend of Singh’s, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the confrontation began when two members of their group returned from a nearby bathroom when two men from the Russian group “saying something” to them.
…..
At that point, Singh responded to the insults, and the two men turned on him. According to witnesses, the two men said to Singh that they belonged to a Russian evangelical church and that he should go to a “good church” like theirs. According to several witnesses, the men sent their wives and children home and called for several more Slavic men on their cell phones.

When members of Singh’s group – which included a pregnant woman – tried to leave the men blocked them with their bodies. The woman said to the men that she didn’t want to fight them, and one of them said to her “We don’t want to fight you either, we just want your faggot friend.”

One of the Russian men then threw a beer into the face of a member of Singh’s group, and then “sucker punched” Singh. As Singh fell to the pavement, the two men ran away. Singh struck his head on a concrete sidewalk when he fell.
…..
Gay activists have claimed that Singh’s attackers have ties to a Sacramento-centered evangelical movement among Russian and Latvian immigrants calling themselves The Watchmen on the Walls. According to witnesses, one of Singh’s attackers bragged about their membership in a Russian evangelical church.
…..

“Good church”, eh? Apparently they don’t teach that “thou shalt not kill” stuff at their “good church”.

 

Steve Domer

…..
Domer was last seen on October 25 [2007], in a gay neighborhood, at NW 39th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City. A witness said he and Domer approached two men in an area with several gay bars. The witness was uncomfortable with the situation and had Domer drive him home, but he believed Domer returned to meet the men later.
…..
Video surveillance footage placed two men resembling Madden and Qualls talking to Domer on October 26, near a car wash on NW 39th and Barnes in Oklahoma City. On November 3, Qualls mother, Tina Melton told police that her son had mentioned “we killed someone.” Melton said that she received an email from Qualls later asking her to forget what he had said.
…..
Madden’s MySpace page was deleted after Domer’s body was found. It had contained numerous photos of him with several other young men with bald heads swastika tattoos, whom he referred to as his Aryan brothers. The page listed Adolph Hitler as a personal hero, and interests included “securing the white race.”Two days after Domer’s disappearance, Madden wrote in a blog, “Well if you only (k)new the things we have done these past few days it would blow your … mind!!!.” in the previous few days and “it might well be the juice in the needle that kills me. Know what I said?”
…..
On October 9, 2008, Madden pleaded guilty to Domer’s abuction and murder, and was sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison. He will not be eligible parol in the Domer murder case.
…..

Thalia Mosqueda

Thalia Mosqueda, a transgender woman, was shot in the head in the parking lot of a Daytona, FL, nightclub on July 29, 2007, and died soon after. Her killer, Cesar Villazano, said he became enraged when Mosqeuda made sexual advances toward him.
…..
On July 29, Mosqueda went to Garibaldi, a restaurant which operated as a club in the evenings, and catered to a clientele of Latino crossdressers, transgender Latinos, and gay men.

Mosqueda encountered Cesar Villazano at Garibadli when, according to Wesley Rosser, a friend Mosqueda’s, Viillazano was trying to persuade a drag queen at the club to go with him in his car. When she refused, he pulled her hair and tried to force her into the car.

The shooting occurred when Mosqueda intervened, saying to Villazano, “Leave her alone. Can’t you see she doesn’t want to be with you? Villazano argued with Mosqueda before pulling a gun, firing two shots in the air, and then fired a shot at Mosqueda, striking her in the head.

…..

On June 20, 2008, Villazano was found guilty of second-degree murder in Mosqueda’s death. On July 8, 2008, he was sentenced to life in prison. Villazano rejected a prosecutors’ plea offer that would have gotten him a 25 year sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. Villazano is in the U.S. illegally and faces deportation if he is ever released from prison.

 
Unfortunately in the wake of Proposition 8, Proposition 102 and Amendment 2 it’s anticipated that the trend will be for anti-gay hate crimes to continue to increase. Such legislation is typically followed by spikes in crimes against LGBT people as it empowers bigots. They feel entitled to take out their hatred against us because the law has, once again, defined us as inferior and second-class citizens.

We must reverse the trend of anti-gay legislation and put in place laws protecting our rights–the same sorts of laws that protect everybody else. Otherwise we’ll soon be no better off than nations we typically denounce as human rights violators, if we can even do so at this point.

 

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January 15, 2009

Spree Killer Glen Race Sentenced to Life Without Parole

Backstory (full rundown, with numerous quotes, links):

Glen Race Murder Trial Begins in Plattsburgh, NY, September 10, 2008

Race sentenced to life in prison

PLATTSBURGH — During an emotional proceeding this afternoon, convicted murdered Glen Race was sentenced to life without parole for killing Darcy Manor in 2007.

The 27-year-old Canadian man didn’t react when Clinton County Court Judge Kevin Ryan announced his fate before a packed audience.

After a September bench trial, Race was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny in connection with Manor’s death.

Manor, a 35-year-old married father of two, was shot in the back as he worked at a private Mooers camp where Race was hiding out as he fled from allegedly killing two Canadian men. …

Two gay Canadian men, which is what put this bizarre story on our radar in the first place.

In the meantime:

An American mental-health advocate fears a Canadian man diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic will receive inadequate medical treatment if he’s sentenced to life in a U.S. jail for murdering Darcy Manor. …

After he is sentenced, [said Joel Pink, the lawyer for Race’s family in Nova Scotia,] Race would get a new psychiatric assessment before he’s sent to prison.

His family fears that jail will worsen his condition while his conviction is appealed, said Pink.

Bob Corliss, director of forensic services for the Mental Health Association for New York State, said mental-health treatment is available in some state and federal prisons, but it is likely to be inadequate in Race’s case. …

The advocate for the rights of the mentally ill also said it’s possible that Race could eventually be sent to the Central New York Psychiatric Centre, where some severely ill inmates receive more intensive treatment.

Corliss said he was surprised that an insanity defense was not pursued.

Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie noted in a July 2007 e-mail that psychiatrists found Race competent to stand trial. …

More here.

We hope Race does get the treatment he needs. We’re also very glad there is essentially no death penalty in New York (it’s available, but, in short, it was ruled unconstitutional, and is thus unenforceable) — and equally glad Race is off the streets, for good.

There can be no happy ending to this story, but those of us whose passion for justice is matched by our unyielding opposition to capital punishment could not ask for a more reasonable outcome.

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Shades of 11/12/01: US Airways Jet Crashes in Hudson River

Apparently, the culprit was a bird:

NEW YORK - A US Airways plane crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon after striking a bird that disabled two engines, sending passengers fleeing for safety in the frigid waters, a government official said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said the US Airways Flight 1549 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport en route to Charlotte, N.C., when the crash occurred in the river near 48th Street in midtown Manhattan. …

More…

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January 6, 2009

Broadway: Wicked: Defying Inequality, Special One-Night Benefit, January 12, 2009

The New York Company of Wicked hosts Defying Inequality, a special benefit dance party and performance promoting equality and civil rights. Held at The Gershwin Theatre Lobby and featuring cast members from Wicked as well as special guest performers, this special one-night-only event goes to benefit Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality California, Garden State Equality and Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, four non-profit charitable organizations working to legislate equality and protect civil rights for the gay and lesbian community. All proceeds will be distributed evenly among the four organizations.

Produced by company members of Wicked, the event will feature current cast members as well as Wicked alumni Marty Thomas, Brandi Chavonne Massey, Ben Cameron and Kathy Deitch. The evening will also include performances by The Glamazons, Mimi Imfurst, Eve Starr, Kelly King, Ari Gold, Steven Skeels and others. Defying Inequality supports Wicked’s theme of acceptance and illuminate [sic] the musical’s message that people should not be judged on first impressions. The Wicked cast members and musicians from the New York Company are joined by their friends from the Broadway community who also recognize that in these divisive times we must come together to support one another’s rights throughout the country and around the world.

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December 15, 2008

What’s Next, “Saturday Night Live”? “Baldy” Jokes About Kids With Cancer?

Yeah, I saw it. It was a lousy, rotten thing to do.

New York — December 15, 2008 — Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Fred Armisen spent more than four minutes mocking Governor David Paterson for his blindness on Saturday night — a skit that is being criticized by Governor Paterson himself, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), and blindness organizations across the country. Using elementary, offensive humor, the skit derides Governor Paterson for his vision loss and portrays him as a bumbling leader. It also suggests that people with disabilities are from the “freak bin.”

Governor Paterson, who has had an impressive academic and political career, is known as a witty politician who brings people together. He has accomplished many firsts in his life, becoming the first non-white New York State Senate legislative leader in 2003, the first visually impaired person to address the Democratic National Convention, and the first African American Governor of New York. As a legally blind public figure, Governor Paterson has challenged public perceptions about what it means to have a disability and shown the world that people with vision loss can be great political leaders.

“Governor Paterson, who was unexpectedly called on to fill the role of Governor last spring, has proven to be an accomplished political leader who is respected and liked by New Yorkers,” said Carl R. Augusto, President & CEO of AFB.

It is difficult to understand why SNL, a show known for its clever, political satire, would take cheap shots at people with disabilities instead of coming up with better material — especially when mimicking a politician known for his sense of humor. Next time, we hope SNL judges Governor Paterson the way we do all politicians, based on his political record and not his disability.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB’s priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and promoting independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources. AFB is also proud to house the Helen Keller Archives and honor the over forty years that Helen Keller worked tirelessly with AFB. For more information visit us online at www.afb.org.

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December 12, 2008

NY: HRC Wants Malcolm Smith to Bring Marriage Bill to Vote; We Say: “Lotsa Luck!”

Backstory (and the reason for our cynicism)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 12, 2008 — The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, issued the following statement today following reports that State Senator Malcolm Smith has secured the votes needed to make him President of the New York State Senate.

“Senator Smith is a long-time, strong advocate for full equality for all New Yorkers, including the LGBT community,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We are confident that he will continue his strong record of support as Senate President. One crucial step on the road to full equality for the LGBT community is, of course, marriage equality. Since there have been rumors about how the marriage equality bill may, or may not, move ahead next year, I call on Senator Smith to make clear that, when the votes are there in the Senate, he will bring the marriage bill up for a vote.”

“We agree with the Empire State Pride Agenda that no one’s civil rights should be a bargaining chip in any political leadership battle. The task for those of us who support equality will be to work to secure enough votes for marriage equality in the Senate. We are committed to continuing to work aggressively with Empire State Pride Agenda, Marriage Equality New York, and supporters of equality throughout the state to win marriage equality in New York in this coming legislative session,” continued Solmonese.

In response to this recent development, State Senator Tom Duane said, “This is an historic moment for New York State. Malcolm Smith and the new Democratic majority will achieve great things for the LGBT community. The fight for and victory of full equality could not be in better hands than those of Malcolm Smith.”

In June 2007, the New York State Assembly voted 85-61 in favor of a marriage equality bill. That bill stalled under the Senate, which at the time was controlled by opponents of equality. In this November’s election, control of the Senate changed hands and Senator Smith, a supporter of marriage equality, is now set to become Senate President.

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December 9, 2008

Happy Now, Bigots? He’s Dead — And He Probably Wasn’t Even Gay

There’s nothing I could say about this, even if I had the words.

This morning:

Police Investigate Hate Crime,
Victim Remains On Life Support

Police are calling an attack on a pair of Brooklyn brothers over the weekend a hate crime.

Investigators said 31-year-old Jose Sucuzhanay was walking home with his brother Romel early Sunday morning when one of them stopped to give the other his coat at the intersection of Kossuth Place and Bushwick Avenue.

That’s when investigators said a group of men jumped out of an SUV and beat them with a glass bottle and baseball bat while yelling anti-gay and anti-Latino slurs.

Romel was not seriously hurt, but Jose was taken to the hospital where he is on life support.

“My brother is in critical condition. He has to go through brain surgery. He’s okay there. But right now he’s not moving, he’s not talking, he’s in very critical condition. And we hope he will recover,” said Sucuzhanay.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said, “There’s no indication that they had any previous contact with the victims. So it clearly appears to be a hate crime based on ethnicity and perceived sexual orientation.” …

Tonight:

Brooklyn Bias Attack Victim Has Died

One of the two Ecuadorian men beaten in Brooklyn while their attackers screamed anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs died after lingering for several days on life support, according to sources. …

Jose Sucuzhañay died a prolonged death in Elmhurst Hospital, after lingering through the afternoon on life support. …

Happy now, bigots?

Anyone with information
is asked to contact

Crime Stoppers

by calling 1-800-577-TIPS

by texting TIP577 to CRIMES

or by going to

NYPDCrimeStoppers.com

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November 30, 2008

New York Senate Democrats: Backstabbing Cowards

Typical Shake Down The Gays For Money And Votes And Then Shaft The Gullible Queers Without A Kiss Democrats:

N.Y. Democrats May Skip Gay Marriage Vote

ALBANY — After a pledge from New York Democratic leaders that their party would legalize same-sex marriage if they won control of the State Senate this year, money from gay rights supporters poured in from across the country, helping cinch a Democratic victory.

But now, party leaders have sent strong signals that they may not take up the issue during the 2009 legislative session. Some of them suggest it may be wise to wait until 2011 before considering it, in hopes that Democrats can pick up more Senate seats and Gov. David A. Paterson, a strong backer of gay rights, would then be safely into a second term.

The question of how aggressively to proceed has touched off an intense debate among legislators and gay rights supporters about how ready the broader electorate is to embrace same-sex marriage, both in New York and across the country.

Many are still stung by California voters’ approval this month of a measure that reversed a court decision that gave gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. Heavy spending by church groups and others opposed to same-sex marriage helped the proposal win.

“We want to get there, but we want to get there the right way or else we risk setting ourselves back another decade,” said Senator Liz Krueger, a Democrat who represents the Upper East Side. “I think the California proposition and the recognition that entities with large amounts of money who oppose same-sex marriage have decided to be large players in this have a lot of people going back to the drawing board.”

In addition, shoring up the state’s depleted treasury and repairing the economy have become the most pressing issues for Albany lawmakers, who return to the capital in January to face a reconfigured landscape. Democrats hold a majority of seats in both chambers of the Legislature, along with the governor’s office, for the first time since the 1930s. …

“Since when are fixing the economy and civil rights mutually exclusive?” said Daniel J. O’Donnell, an assemblyman from the Upper West Side who led the push for the bill in the Assembly.

Mr. O’Donnell added that expectations are high in the gay community that New York will be able to deliver the movement’s next victory. “The leadership of the Senate and others in our community collected a lot of money from a lot of people with the promise — spoken and unspoken — that if the Democrats won the Senate, they would take a vote,” he said.

Mr. O’Donnell plans to introduce a bill relatively early in the 2009 session, setting up a possible confrontation with the Senate.

Senator Thomas K. Duane, the Senate’s leading advocate on gay and lesbian issues, said the odds of a vote reaching the Senate floor in the 2009 legislative session are 50-50. …

But even once the budget is passed, Mr. Duane said, other factors will have to be weighed, like whether the timing is too politically risky for the governor.

“We definitely want David Paterson to run for re-election and to win,” he said. …

People with knowledge of Governor Paterson’s position on gay marriage said the governor is wary of making a big push for the bill as the Senate leadership remains in flux.

Despite the fact that Democrats will hold 32 of the 62 Senate seats in the next legislative session, three dissident Democrats have not pledged their support for the would-be majority leader, Malcolm A. Smith. One of those senators, Rubén Díaz Sr., has specifically said he would not support a majority leader who would allow a same-sex marriage bill to come to the floor. …

Ah, yes, Rubén Díaz, who only last year was — along with his son Rubén Junior — under investigation by the FBI over strange goings-on concerning ballot petitions. And who, it was found, “improperly spent almost $5,000 in government grants intended for a Bronx nonprofit group on furniture for his district office and loudspeakers for his campaign.” And who, before that, escaped scrutiny over the question of whether or not he actually lived in his own district, because the lawsuit brought against him was filed in the wrong court.

And who — surprise, surprise! —

…is a Pentecostal minister who has been an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage and abortion. In 2003, he sued the city over the expansion of a small public school for gay students.

More backpedaling — and backstabbing — at the first link (and in this article from 2006, which in retrospect further reveals Malcolm Smith’s terminal spinelessless).

What a pile of crap.

I can’t even comment on this — my sheer disgust overwhelms my ability to restrain my impulse to call these “Democrats” every obscenity I know, in English, Italian, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

Joe has more to say (”And here I had dismissed it when I was told at the marriage equality rally at New York City Hall that the Pride Agenda had been telling people not to attend…”).

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November 28, 2008

Three More Reasons We Hope You Skipped Black Friday Shopping Today

What are we to think of a woman’s suffering a broken leg when another crowd of 1,000 turned violent after waiting eight hours to get into a Zayre store in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.? Departmental Manager William Shigo could provide no explanation either. He armed himself with a baseball bat to defend his position behind the counter. Said he: “Get back, you’re breaking my legs.”

The Strange Cabbage Patch Craze
Time, December 12, 1983

Today, there are three bodies, and three more reasons to again question the insanity of American gluttony:

And they say we non-Christians are the ones waging a “War on Christmas.”

Seriously: I really, really don’t understand what’s wrong with people. But then, I really, really didn’t understand the mentality behind the Cabbage Patch craze, or why anyone would want to see Jingle All the Way, a movie about a man’s singleminded quest to acquire the latest Christmas fad for his child. (Even I know what it’s about, and I haven’t seen it; I no longer watch Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, even on TV, and haven’t since 2003. Guess why?)

Maybe somebody can explain it to me. Why would anyone — who, presumably, as they’re free to walk the streets and go to a store, functions like a rational adult in civilized society — go insanely violent over a damned toy? Are people afraid they’re such lousy parents that their kid will hate them even more if they fail to produce? Is it about buying love?

I tell you, as much as I abhor violence, I understand soccer hooliganism better than I understand this sort of insanity; at least I understand that sport is a metaphor for war, and unchecked testosterone (particularly, I think, in societies where, as Gore Vidal said about Americans, men are “hysterical” about their masculinity) is the cause of both.

But breaking bones and killing other people just to buy a goddamned thing? I don’t get it, and I doubt I ever will.

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November 24, 2008

New York: Speak Out on Proposition 8, Columbia University, 11/24/08

Monday, November 24, 2008, 6:15pm
754 Schermerhorn Extension
Columbia University

More details here.

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November 21, 2008

New York is Going to Leave California in the Dust Even Before SSM is Legalized

NEW YORK — November 21, 1008 — Insurance companies must treat same-sex couples in New York who were legally married outside the State the same as any other validly married couples, irrespective of the sex of the spouses, Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo announced today in a bulletin to all Department licensees. The bulletin, known as a Circular Letter, says that same-sex couples who enter into valid marriages outside of New York must be treated as married people for the purposes of the New York Insurance Law, including for health insurance.

“Insurance is an essential part of our planning for daily life. We expect insurance companies to provide the same rights and benefits to all legally married couples, regardless of the sex of the spouses,” Dinallo said. “As Governor David Paterson has explained, this is consistent with the position the State historically has taken with respect to marriages conducted in jurisdictions outside of the State of New York.”

The Circular Letter is based on an opinion issued by the Department’s Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) after a careful legal review that began in early spring. Both consumers and industry triggered the review by asking the Department for guidance about the rights under the New York Insurance Law of same-sex couples whose marriages were legally performed in other jurisdictions. Those inquiries came shortly after an unanimous February 1, 2008 decision by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Fourth Department in Martinez v. Monroe Community College, 50 A.D.3d 189, 850 N.Y.S.2d 740 (4th Dep’t 2008), leave to appeal denied, 10 N.Y. 3d 856 (2008), which held that a woman’s Canadian marriage to her same-sex partner is entitled to recognition in New York State, and that her partner therefore is entitled to the health care benefits offered to any other spouse.

On May 6, 2008, New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, refused to hear an appeal from Monroe County. All lower courts in New York are bound to follow Martinez as controlling precedent.

Guided by Martinez and several decisions from lower New York courts, the OGC opinion concludes that same-sex couples in marriages legally performed outside of New York are entitled to the same rights under the Insurance Law as any other legally married couples. Further, an insurer’s refusal to extend health insurance or other coverage equally to all couples may constitute unfair discrimination and/or an unfair act or practice that could subject it to discipline imposed pursuant to the New York Insurance Law.

The Department’s legal determination covers all Department licensees, and encompasses virtually all insurance products, such as life, disability, long term care, and health insurance. Some employer self-funded group health insurance plans that are regulated by the federal government under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) may not be affected by today’s Circular Letter.

The Department’s interpretation of the Insurance Law also is consistent with a memorandum dated May 14, 2008 from the Counsel to Governor David A. Paterson, directing all state agencies to review their policy statements, regulations, and statutes to ensure that such laws are construed in a manner, consonant with Martinez, so as to encompass marriages of same-sex couples legally performed in other jurisdictions.

The legality of that memorandum was upheld in a decision issued September 2, 2008 by Justice Lucy Billings of the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the Bronx. Justice Billings dismissed a suit filed by the Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of various state lawmakers challenging Governor Paterson’s authority to issue the directive.

Consumers with questions about whether a group health plan is subject to State regulation should confer with their benefits administrators. Any consumer who believes he or she is being discriminated against by any insurer regulated by the State, or who has other insurance questions, may obtain assistance by calling the Insurance Department’s Consumer Services Hotline on business days between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-342-3736, or by visiting the Department’s website at www.ins.state.ny.us.

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November 20, 2008

Divorcées for Gay Marriage — Literally

There are few non-gay couples whose commitment to staying unmarried until everyone can marry we admire more than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (who, as far as we know, still aren’t married), and Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend — except for Sarah Augusto and Jon Bell, Mary Lunetta and Max Hartman, Sam and Fawn Livingston-Gray, Andrea Ayvazian and Michael Klare, and an unknown number of other heterosexual couples you’ve never heard of, but who are true heroes of marriage equality.

Except maybe Brenna and Nico:

We are a happily married couple, and we have decided to divorce and enter into a domestic partnership in protest against Proposition 8 and similar attempts to strip civil rights from our fellow citizens. We will document our process here, and will provide links below to activist sites, as well as to information a married couple would need to undertake this process in New York. If you’d like to send us information for how to do this in your state, we’ll happily link it here as well. To be clear, you do NOT need to reject marriage in order to support us or understand what we are doing. In fact, we look forward to marrying again one day, alongside our gay and lesbian friends, when law and social awareness catch up to common sense.

On their brand-new blog, Divorcées for Gay Marriage, they express their joy over Barack Obama’s election, and their deep disappointment with the passage of Proposition 8 in California:

Both reactions … have inspired us to get involved in our own way, by refusing to participate in an institution that is being used to deny our fellow citizens rights that should be available to everyone. We therefore intend to file for divorce, after which we will enter into a domestic partnership. Our commitment to each other is unwavering; we only hope to align the terms of our partnership more closely with our political and social beliefs.

We anticipate that our family and friends will have mixed reactions to this, but we plan to proceed respectfully, making clear that our decision does not mean we judge the marriages (or non-marriages) of others, but rather that we want the same rights and opportunities to belong to all, and that we look forward to marrying again alongside our gay and lesbian friends who wish to do so. We also want to make clear that while we’re taking a quiet, personal stand on this issue, we recognize that many have fought tirelessly and for a very long time for equal rights that continue to be denied. This blog is our homage to those activists, our pledge of commitment to help in this and other ways, and NOT an attempt to reduce a large, complex, and important movement to our own singular experience of it.

As of November 11th, they revealed their plain to a few close family members and friends, who were primarily concerned about the rights (medical decisions and joint property ownership among them) Brenna and Nico would have to work out under a less-than-equal New York domestic partnership. But, they note, the legal “complications we face here only strengthen our resolve to proceed…”

Their first major dilemma involves choosing the grounds for the dissolution of their marriage; New York just happens to be the only state in the union without no-fault divorce:

This presents a conundrum for us. The closest thing we’d be able to claim is abandonment, and we’ll need to discuss its terms to decide whether we can make a case for it. …

The ethical dilemma is as follows: do we lie in order to follow through with a form of protest we both believe is socially/morally/politically justified, or do we challenge the very terms of divorce law in New York, which would result in a long (and likely costly) legal battle with no guarantee of success? The question is not an easy one. Divorce is a serious undertaking, causing a great deal of pain and struggle for people actually ending their partnerships, and as such should not be taken lightly. Similarly, marriage is a serious undertaking, and one which, despite the simplicty and ease of our civil ceremony, we do not take lightly. …

When Brenna and Nico’s journey becomes more public (as no doubt it will), it is certain that they will be mocked, at best, for their decision. It is also certain that the right-wing rags sure to seize on this story and exploit it for all it’s worth will not pay a lick of attention to the gravity with which Brenna and Nico have undertaken this stand of solidarity with their gay brothers and sisters. But that’s to be expected, as principle is a concept few on the Right grasp, much less practice, especially when principle in action presents even a minor inconvenience to their set, “traditional” ways.

In a fitting parallel to a story of environmental activists who have “entered waters they wanted to protect” — literally — Brenna writes:

Nico and I have chosen this particular path of protest because it immerses us tangibly in the issue of marriage equality. By dissolving our marriage, we are not turning our backs on the institution itself, but rather trying to engage directly with its current legal limitations and inequalities. We hope that by getting in the water, by actively choosing a form of partnership that does not exclude our fellow citizens, we can contribute to the dialogue that will eventually persuade our government to maintain a system of civil union that suitable for all partners and families who wish to enjoy its protections and benefits.

A concerned family member asked us why we chose this, of all issues, to address, when there are so many other “important” global and national problems. We think this is a fair question; certainly, in a world filled with cruelty, destitution, starvation, and violence, one is faced with any number of causes to champion. Our response to her was simply this: we have to start somewhere, and this particular issue is both timely and something we can meaningfully engage as partners. We hope that it educates us about laws that we have blithely taken for granted; enables dialogue with friends, family, activists, and lawmakers; and helps us to think creatively about ways to fight for equality in this and other civic matters. It has already strengthened our commitment to each other; we are very much in love, and excited to navigate the waters ahead.

We are deeply humbled by Brenna and Nico’s commitment — to each other, and to putting principle into action in a way few of us could even imagine, no matter what the cause.

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November 17, 2008

Update on Syracuse Murder: Victim Was Transwoman

WASHINGTON — November 17, 2008 — The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, issued a statement earlier today on the murder of Teish Cannon, 22, who was shot and killed Friday night, according to local authorities in Syracuse, New York. The alleged shooter, Dwight R. DeLee, 20, has been charged with second degree murder. This afternoon, Human Rights Campaign learned from sources working with the family that Cannon was a transgender woman and did not identify as a man.

“The senseless killing of Teish Cannon is a clear example of why we need to redouble our efforts on education and awareness aimed at ending hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We commend the Syracuse Police Department for its swift action in investigating this as a crime of hate. Hate crimes rend the fabric of our society and fragment communities because they target a group and not just the individual victim. The purpose of our government, first and foremost, is to protect all of our citizens — whether they are black, disabled, Christian, gay or transgender.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Original story:

Syracuse Man Murdered for Being Gay; Police Investigating as Hate Crime, November 17, 2008

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